Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Kristin Chenoweth to Play Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray Live!

Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth has come aboard NBC’s “Hairspray Live!,” which will air Wednesday, Dec. 7, joining the previously announced all-star cast of Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, Derek Hough and exciting newcomer Maddie Baillio.

Chenoweth will play Velma Von Tussle, the self-promoting and manipulative producer of “The Corny Collins Show,” who will stop at nothing to make her daughter, Amber, the star that Velma never was. Her biggest foe is Tracy Turnblad and she’ll do everything in her power to prevent the integration of the “Corny Collins Show” which Tracy wants so much. “We are so excited and fortunate that Kristin — one of the best musical performers in the world — wants to come and play with us on ‘Hairspray,’” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “Everything she does is incredible, going back to the iconic Glinda in ‘Wicked,’ and there’s no one better to play Velma Von Tussle. Each year we find that more and more of the top talent in our business wants to experience the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of these live musicals, and the bigger the roster of stars, the better the event. This one is shaping up to be one of our best!”